Two Promises
by Dandesun
Summary: Gambit asks a promise of Storm only to have her request one from him in return.


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Two Promises

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Author Notes and Disclaimers_: First things first. These characters are not mine. They never were and never will be. They belong to Marvel Entertainment and are being used here without permissions. Despite that, this venture is not for profit, merely enjoyment._

As to continuity, this takes place after the kiss in Israel. It was inspired by X-Men #37(?), in which Gambit pounds on Sabretooth for a while. However, that issue does not really fall into the continuity of this fic. So, that's kind of where we start. Please send feedback to Dandelion@aol.com, it is always appreciated. Thanks for reading and enjoy.

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The nature of evil. What was it? Remy LeBeau looked at his face in the mirror. He searched it, turning one way and then the other - was it there? Was it his nature to be evil? He shook his head and turned away from the reflection. If he believed in God he might have prayed for his soul - but he didn't. He was a believer of chance; chance meetings, games of fortune and luck. His position on the wheel of fortune had been up at the top for quite sometime now. He felt himself slipping.

He started slipping the moment he started caring about these people and their dream. Charles Xavier and his beloved X-men. He had become a member by chance and not by design. But their cause seemed a good one. And he cared for Ororo too much to simply turn and walk away. Especially since she was hurting so much over what had happened in her absence and for her inability to do anything about it.

They fought, as mutants, to live among humans as equals. They fought to be trusted, and it seemed that the more they fought the less their dream was likely to come true. And the less their dream was likely to come true, the more they fought to save it. Their dream was that humans and mutants might one day live together in peace and harmony. It was a nice dream.

It was their dream. Not his.

He couldn't be certain that he even _had_ a dream. His goal was to survive and maybe come out a little ahead. Selfish, maybe, but in his life there wasn't a whole lot of room for charity. His life had been an uphill battle since, well, as long as he could remember. Goals and dreams were hardly the same thing and he knew it.

He had tried to make things better. He even found himself believing in what the X-men fought for. Maybe there was a chance for something better. Maybe he could be better. It was worth a try wasn't it? 

Remy sat on his bed and heaved a weary sigh. Where had it gone so wrong?

He thought of the people he had met during his stay.

First and foremost was Rogue. She was so beautiful and so strong, and so delicate. Her heart was so fragile beneath the invulnerability and the incredible strength. She couldn't touch, that was her power and her curse. She would take the very soul out of a person if contact lasted too long. She had fought on both sides of the fence and had chosen Xavier's side. She had fought against heroes and almost lost her sanity when she went toe to toe with the powerful persona of Carol Danvers. Remy didn't know her then, he had just heard the stories. Rogue was so alone because of her powers. She was the forbidden fruit and Remy just couldn't resist her. The problem was, the more he knew her the more he came to really care and then he fell in love with her. He fell in love all the way. They had shared one kiss and she took something out of him that he had buried long ago and tried so hard to forget. It was so dark and so terrible that it drove her away. Away from him, away from the dream she believed in and the friends she loved. 

Remy shuddered. Maybe he was irredeemable. He had hurt Rogue so terribly and he hadn't even meant to. She was so afraid of the darkness within him that she had run away from everything she loved. What was he supposed to get from that?

Logan was like Remy was. Hardened. Ruthless. He fought for the dream though. But he sure didn't pull his punches. He and Remy had sparred a couple of times. Remy had won some, Logan had won some. They were fighters, they knew how ugly the world was and they adjusted for it. And the world was indeed ugly. Logan wasn't afraid to leave a few corpses behind him in his quest. He believed in the dream, if not the execution of it. Perhaps the love of a good woman had helped him. The love of a few good women. His beloved Mariko. Yukio, Remy had had a few run-ins with her. She was tough as nails but she believed. And you certainly couldn't get a better woman than Jean. Jean loved Scott with all of her heart and soul, but that certainly didn't mean she couldn't fit any more love for Logan. She loved him. Everyone knew it. She would fight for him until the end. Remy had been there after Magneto had ripped the adamantium out of Logan's skeleton and Jean had been at his side for every agonizing moment. Logan said that Jean had called him back from beyond. And everyone saw Logan seemingly rise up from the dead and grab Jean before she was flung out into space. Logan had lived an ugly life full of rage and pain and a lot of garbage he didn't even remember. Still, he fought the good fight. He was a believer. And he wasn't afraid to break a few bones to get there. Look at what he had done to Creed.

Remy's lip curled into a sneer. Creed. There was a man he hated. He hated Creed for everything he had done. He hated Creed for everything he stood for. He hated Creed for simply being in the mansion. He hated Creed because they had too much in common. From fighting on the dark side to their connection with Sinister. Remy told himself over and over again, _I'm not a killer. I never killed for the fun of it. Never._

He hated Creed. And every minute that Creed was in the mansion with him Remy had the desire to go and end his miserable, disgusting life once and for all. Logan had tried. Maybe Remy would just finish the job. Every time he thought that he stopped. Killing Creed wouldn't make his demons go away. It would probably make the world a better place, though. Creed killed for the pleasure of killing. He was sick.

Remy's mind turned to Ororo. Speaking of killing, he thought wryly. She loathed killing. She did it though, because she had to. She did it only when every other choice was gone. He remembered her telling him the story about the man she had killed in Egypt. He had tried to rape her and she knifed him. She had been a helpless little girl back then. _Look at 'Roro now. Storm - Windrider._ She sure was something.

One chance meeting with her and he was suddenly in this role of hero. In spite of himself, he laughed. Remy LeBeau, Hero Extrordinairre. He shook his head. Ororo was an amazing woman. It was almost a shame that he was in love with Rogue and Ororo was in love with Forge. Maybe 'Ro could save him. She was a good woman, strong in herself and her beliefs. Rogue was still so damaged from the curse of her own powers she could barely save herself. He had tried to become good for her and neither of them had been strong enough. 

Jean had saved Logan; maybe Ororo could save Remy. But she loved Forge. The Maker. Remy had seen a lot of him when they were teleported into space to save the Shi'ar Empire. He was an interesting man, Forge. He had an incredible gift. He could make anything. He was mechanics while Ororo was nature. And yet, Forge was a shaman and Ororo had been raised on the city streets. They were contradictions in and of themselves and they were in love. Remy stood up and stretched. Forge had torn Ororo's world apart when he asked her to marry him then left with Mystique. Remy had been very much against the man after that. He didn't like to think of anyone hurting Storm. Forge had come back though. He had asked her to let him back into her life and she was happy again. Soaring like a bird on the winds even when her feet touched the ground. No, Ororo and Forge should be together.

Remy laughed to himself. Besides, he had known Ororo since she was waist high - a little twelve year old girl who was a woman within. Getting involved with her would be a little strange.

Maybe she could save him as a friend.

He went to his window and opened the shades a crack. A group of the X-men were milling about enjoying the warmth of the fall afternoon. He watched them. He was not one of them, he wondered if he ever could be. 

The woman they called Psylocke turned her head and looked up at Remy. She was a telepath and she frowned at him uncertainly. Remy stared down at her and waited her out. She was a ninja - he was a thief. She knew there was something wrong with him. He didn't like her being that close. He wondered if Jean knew, or if the Professor knew. They were both telepaths. Maybe they were better at shutting out other thoughts. Maybe Psylocke didn't want to shut him out. Maybe her instincts warned her about him and she refused to be caught unawares.

Remy snapped the shades shut and left the room. Elisabeth was a problem. She had caught a whiff of something rotten within him and tenaciously refused to let it lie. He had caught her probing him and slammed his own defenses shut before she could learn anything... he hoped. As far as he knew she had yet to divulge her suspicions to anyone else, which was good. That gave him time to figure out his next move.

He didn't want to hurt these people. He didn't want their dream to fail. Whether or not he believed in it, it was still a good dream.

He walked outside and away from the others, he felt Elisabeth's eyes on him. He turned and thought loudly at her. _Don't go where you're not wanted 'Lisabeth!_ Her eyes went wide and she whirled away from him. He slammed his mind down tight again.

He walked through the woods and came to the lake. He went to the end of the docks and sat down, he stared at his reflection in the water. What was the nature of evil? He looked for it within him. Did he look evil? Or was it buried so deep that no one could see it until it burst out in a red fire?

"Never since the day I have met you have you been so solitary, Remy." A rich voice came drifting over the water. "You have always been the sociable type. Much like Allison and Lila. They could not live without a party going on, it seemed. Nor did they want to."

Remy looked up. There she was, 'Roro, hovering over the lake dipping her toes in the water. He grinned slightly. "Always figured you could walk on water, Stormy." 

She floated towards him and sat on the docks next to him. "Why do you avoid everyone, Remy? Are you still hurt from Rogue's leaving?"

"Find me someone dat wouldn't be." He murmured.

"I miss her as well. She was a dear friend. Very hurt, but still very dear."

Remy looked at her. "You knew?"

Ororo nodded. "It's a shame no one sat down and talked to her about it. I tried. I may have actually gotten somewhere were it not for that fiasco with Forge's gun." She looked at the water. "She felt her powers only let her do wrong. They never gave her a chance to make her own decision because there was only the one decision. Use it and hurt people. She tried so hard to be good. No one ever helped her control that power so that she might see that inside her heart was pure."

"Thought dat was the whole reason behind her comin' here." Remy said quietly.

"It was. Xavier was always getting sidetracked. He got sick and went to space and was absent for a long time. Magneto has always been his primary concern. Then the Legacy Virus and Sabretooth." Ororo shook her head. "Rogue always seemed to get shuffled back. She put on a good face, but the more she went without touching another, the more damaged she became. I am afraid Remy that when you came along, you only cemented her inability to be with one she loved." She was quiet for several moments. "I don't think I could live knowing I would never be able to touch Forge again."

"I know I hurt her, 'Ro. You don't have to rub it in." Remy picked up a stone and threw it in the water. He felt Ororo's eyes on him. "Spit it out, Stormy. Ain't like you to keep quiet about anyt'ing."

"What did she see in you, Remy? What scared her so?"

Remy sat quietly for a moment, looking into the water. In the reflection, he could see Ororo's head turned towards him - waiting. "Don't, Ororo."

"Don't what?"

"Don't ask, don't press. Just don't. We all have our demons to bear, I just don't t'ink I could let anyone else in on it." He gave a short humorless laugh. "Look what happened to the last one who found out."

"Remy," Ororo's voice was hesitant. "Is Bishop right about you?"

Remy snapped his head towards her. He looked at her - Ororo, his friend. "I sure hope not, Stormy. Hurting you would just about kill me."

She looked satisfied. He wasn't.

"Stormy, you gotta make me a promise."

She looked at him, her eyes were uncertain again. "What is it?"

"If worse comes to worse and he is right. You gotta promise that you'll put me down before I can hurt you all."

Ororo shook her head. "Remy, I don't-" 

Remy grabbed her arm. "'Ro, if Bishop is right I'll end up killin' you all! Don't let that happen. You're my friend. Probably the only true friend I have anymore. Promise me that you'll stop me from doin' it."

Her hand moved to his and she pulled her arm free from his grip, but she didn't let go of his hand. "All right, Remy. I promise."

He sighed. Now he was satisfied, but she wasn't.

"Now you have to promise me something in return."

"What is it, Stormy?"

"I want you to promise me that you'll never put me in that position."

He looked at her questioningly.

"I promise to put you down if you turn against us, Remy. Now you promise that you'll never force me to."

It all became clear to him. He looked out over the water. It would be the hardest thing for Ororo to do, keeping her promise to him. To promise to kill her friend, that was the stuff of nightmare. He had asked the near impossible of her. Now she did the same to him. To ask him to turn away from the dark tendencies within him was difficult. It would be the hardest thing for him to do to turn his back on Sinister when the time came. He looked back to Ororo. Her blue eyes flashed in the sunlight. He felt a twinge. This was his friend. He wouldn't hurt her. Maybe she was strong enough to save him indeed.

"I promise, Stormy. I promise."


End file.
